SA v Eng 1st Test Review: Visitors go 1-0 up in the Basil D’Oliveira Trophy

Moeen Ali crushed South African hopes in the first over of day 5 by removing AB de Villiers. Ali, bowling round the wicket, got one to skid as AB was looking to play off the back foot. He missed the ball, which struck him in the line of the stumps, forcing the umpire to raise his finger. The decision was reviewed but confirmed the ball hitting the leg stump, much to the disappointment of the home side. A target of 416 was always going to be a mountain to climb however with the prodigious de Villiers still unbeaten, England wouldn’t have looked too far ahead before the start of play.

Steve Finn uprooted night-watchman Dale Steyn’s off stump to reduce the home side to 138/7. A classical piece of bowling saw Ali get past Temba Bavuma’s bat as the later advanced down the pitch only to be left stranded. The ball slid across the outside edge without turning and Jonny Bairstow did the rest savouring every bit of the stumping. Dane Piedt defended for 27 balls without getting off the mark and was eventually dismissed by Chris Woakes giving the pacer his first wicket of the match.

Stuart Broad fittingly finished the match taking the last wicket of Morne Morkel. It was Broad’s incisive spell in the first innings that had given England an early advantage in the match. JP Duminy finished unbeaten on 26 running out of partners. England played a near perfect game and the solid all-round performance should please them immensely. A 241-run victory against the world’s best Test team in their own backyard is no mean achievement and the visitors will look to continue the momentum in the remaining matches.

The home side had its moments, especially when they reduced the visitors to 49/3 on the first day however was unable to capitalize. Dale Steyn’s injury in England’s second innings made matters worse as the bowling looked on ammunition. The batting, though, has been the biggest worry for the Proteas and they will need to find a way to turn the tables before the second Test that begins in Cape Town on 2^nd January. Hashim Amla looks terribly short on confidence and he needs to get amongst the runs and lead from the front. This may well be a defining series in his captaincy career as Amla the batsman is far too important for the home side.

Brief Scores:

England – 303/10 (N Compton 85; D Steyn 4/70)

South Africa – 214/10 (D Elgar 118; S Broad 4/25)

England – 326/10 (J Bairstow 79; D Piedt 5/153)

South Africa – 174/10 (D Elgar 40; S Finn 4/42)

Man of the match– Moeen Ali (England)